Thursday, April 30, 2009

Witchcraft Spells: How To Incorporate Magic Into Your Life for Health, Wealth and Happiness

More and more people these days are turning to witchcraft, paganism and wiccan spiritual practices as more meaningful and inclusive forms of religion.

Since the printing of Gerald Gardner Witchcraft Today, thousands have discovered the power it can have. Although we live in a highly modernized, technological world, the ancient wisdom and knowledge that is imparted through witchcraft is still relevant today, if in fact even more so, since it is a peaceful, inclusive and deeply conscious tradition, that reveres the earth and earthly cycles.

In this day and age, which is dominated by war and wanton environmental destruction, witchcraft offers a gentle nonviolent alternative way of making sense of our world.

Some people sadly, fear witchcraft because they wrongly associate it with the dark arts of Satanism.

This is a grave misconception, which witches everywhere are seeking to dispel. According to Gardner, contrary to the popular perceptions, witchcraft is more to do with honoring the earth and the divine feminine.

In fact, most people who practice witchcraft, do so because it is holistic, non-judgmental and non-patriarchal inasmuch as it honors the sacred creativity of women, and recognizes the life-giving force of the earth upon which we live.

Many people see witchcraft as a deeply ecological religion, that seeks to protect the earth and its gifts to humans.

Whether you want to incorporate witchcraft into your life in a serious and dedicated manner, or simply want to explore this spiritual tradition, learning about it first is the way forward.

Because it is such a poorly understood and much maligned spiritual tradition, many witches are very private about their beliefs. In fact, most will not reveal themselves to be witches.

Whether you go on to join a coven, or merely incorporate magic into your life on a private level, you too can start to weave spells into your life in order to transform your day to day reality.

Many novices start out by practicing what I like to describe as practical magic spells that can be incorporated into your life without requiring much effort or time.

Here are two good everyday spells to add to your spell book.

1) Protection charm

If you are concerned about your own well-being, or the well-being of someone dear to you, make sure you (or that other person) carries something blue on the body. By wearing something blue on your person, you will ward off destructive or negative forces.

A good tip for women is to sew blue ribbon into their bras and underwear so that no matter what you are wearing on the outside, you will always have something blue on your body to protect you.

For men, carrying blue beads in your pocket is one way of performing this charm. Although this is a simple charm to carry out, it is extraordinarily effective. I recently gave a blue bead on a string to a male friend of mine who had been unceremoniously dumped by his girlfriend.

He told me that within a day of carrying the bead he had not only gotten over his negative feelings about his girlfriend, but had secured a highly lucrative art deal and was felt he was on a path of rebirth.

He carries his blue bead everywhere as a matter of course now.

2) House charm

Many people want to know how they can protect their homes from negative forces. This is a very simple spell that ensures your home draws in positivity, friendship and love.

It can be performed at any time, but I recommend your do it when your family or flat-mates are not present, as you do not want to be interrupted. To cleanse the house of any negative spirits or emotions, you light a candle and go from room to room, reciting the qualities that you want to exist in your home.

When I performed this spell, I went from room to room, saying things like Peace, Happiness, Creativity, Love, Friends, Laughter etc etc. Once you have visited every room, take a sprig of lavender and tie it above each external door.

By tying lavender above the entrances to your house, you ensure that only good elements pass into it.

The two charms above show how easy it can be to practice magic. Whether you intend to delve more deeply into witchcraft, or merely incorporate a little practical magic into your life, witchcraft is a deeply spiritual and conscious religion that draws on ancient wisdom and knowledge that can truly enhance your life.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Just What Is The Simple Truth About Hypnosis?

Thanks to stage and television, most people have a lot of misconceptions about hypnosis. That's too bad because hypnotherapy is a modality that can help many people to make the changes that they've been struggling with. So I'm going to clarify just what the simple truths are about hypnosis.

The Definition Of Self Hypnosis:Hypnotism is a state of hyper-suggestibility where the conscious mind and the subconscious dissociate. It is a state of consciousness where the hypnotized client is more likely to agree to the Hypnotist's suggestions.

You have been in hypnosis many times in your life without even realizing it. If you've ever watched a sad television show and reacted with a tear in your eye, you have been in the hypnotic state. You entered a state of amplified suggestibility where you uncritically accepted the suggestion of gloom on the TV screen and reacted with a sad emotion, your tear. In other words, your ability to reason, which is controlled by your conscious mind, was bypassed. You did not reason that the show was just a play; you accepted the action as being genuine. So you reacted with real passion and shed a tear.

Who Can Be Placed In Hypnosis?Hypnotherapists have found that all normal people are hypnotizable to a greater or lesser extent. Subjects with less than a 70 I.Q. generally can't be hypnotized. People who are actively psychotic by and large cannot be hypnotized. Most senile people are difficult to hypnotize. I have found in my own hypnotherapy practice dealing with a large number of retired people up to 85 years of age, that self hypnosis is a potent and beneficial technique for most people. A person's motivation is the key to his or her success.

Do I Have To Be A "Deep" Subject For Success?For the curative applications of self hypnosis we most often deal with, hypnotic depth of any kind is not required. You can be the lightest possible subject and still obtain all of the benefits from self hypnosis that the deepest subjects will obtain. I believe that over the years, far too much importance has been placed on how deep a subject is. If the hypnotic subject is deep, it could be of benefit. This however, may not necessarily be the case. In fact, with the latest hypnotic methods like Ericksonian self hypnosis and state of the art "NLP" (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), hypnotic depth is one of the least imperative aspects, which contribute to success.

Are There Any Dangers In Self Hypnosis?There are on the whole no dangers to the practice of self hypnosis. It is impossible to "get stuck" in self hypnosis. The most awful thing that could possibly happen while a patient is in the hypnotic state is that she might fall into a natural state of sleep for 20 or 30 minutes. She would wake up rested and no longer in a state of self-hypnosis.

Misconceptions About The Hypnotic State:There are many misnomers about self hypnosis. Most of them can be attributed to stage and television shows. As luck would have it, it's on account of the fact that the television can hypnotize you that these misnomers are so strongly ingrained in people's minds.

Is Self Hypnosis A State Of Sleep?The largest misconception about self hypnosis is that it's a state of sleep. Not anything could be further from the truth. If you are asleep, you are unconscious. If you are unconscious, you cannot hear anything. If you cannot hear anything, then the hypnotist cannot help you. Hypnosis is a state of keen awareness. The subject is wide-awake and aware of everything around her. This misconception comes from the stage Hypnotist's use of the word "sleep" as equivalent to a state of hypnosis. When the old time hypnotist swung a pocket watch in front of his subject's face, he told his subject that she was getting "sleepy." Then he told his subject to "go to sleep." What he meant was to go into a hypnotic sleep, not a natural sleep.

Is There A Hypnotized Feeling?The second largest misconception is that there is a hypnotized feeling. There is no hypnotized feeling. I repeat there is no hypnotized feeling. Most people feel very relaxed when in the hypnotic state, as relaxation seems to be the essence of hypnosis. Some people feel heavy. Some people feel light. Some people have other sensations and feelings. Other people have absolutely no feeling that they are in a state of hypnosis, and believe they haven't been hypnotized when they most definitely have.

Can The Hypnotherapist Control Me?NO! The hypnotist cannot make you do anything against your will. There is always an observing ego state. Should the therapist make an offensive suggestion; this ego state would reject that suggestion. Additionally, you will probably come out of the hypnotic state if the hypnotherapist makes an offensive suggestion.

Can The Therapist Force Me To Divulge My Secrets?You will not give up any secrets while in a state of hypnosis unless you want to do so. The hypnotist does not have any control over the subject. Quite the contrary, the subject has more control over herself since at this time she can directly communicate with her own subconscious. The subject can easily decline any suggestion the hypnotist makes, no matter how simple or complicated the suggestion might be. The subject can open her eyes, exit from the state of self hypnosis, and walk out of the room at any time she chooses.

Must People Tell The Truth When In The Hypnotic State?No! People can lie when in a state of self hypnosis.

Do Hypnotists Have Special Powers?This is a common misnomer. The hypnotist does not have any special powers, nor does he have any special vibrations with which to hypnotize you into the state of hypnosis. Actually, all hypnosis is self-hypnosis. The hypnotist leads the subject into a state of hypnotism. In other words, the ability of self hypnosis is within the subject.

Why Do People Fail To Reach Their Goals When Using Hypnosis?Perhaps the largest reason for the failure to reach one's goals through self-hypnosis is an inadequate amount of practice where self-hypnosis is concerned.

The largest reason for the return of a symptom or "relapse" is the early discontinuance of self hypnosis with the Hypnotherapist or recorded program. While self-hypnosis is important, it is generally the hetero-hypnosis with the hypnotist or hypnosis recording which has the greatest impact upon the subconscious.

This is because of the training and experience that the hypnotist has vs. the lack of training and experience of the client. Some people are penny wise and pound-foolish. They mentally set an amount of time that they are willing to spend for help. And then they prematurely cut off their sessions because; "I didn't lose 50 Lbs. in two days, so it isn't working."

If a therapeutic method is really helping one to make their desired changes, then it is priceless and it should be continued. It is for this reason that it is wise to have follow up self hypnosis sessions, even after a symptom seems to have disappeared completely. Self-hypnosis should be an ongoing affair on a daily basis. Ultimately, YOUR SUCCESS IS UP TO YOU!

Will I Be Better Off Hiring A Hypnotist, Or Will Purchasing A Recorded Program Work Better?That is a wonderful question. Normally I would recommend that you employ the services of a reputable hypnotist. The reason is that by meeting with you, a good hypnotist / NLP'er will be able to customize his approach to your personality and your favored representational system -- the way you favor taking in information through your senses to make sense out of it and react to it.

In my opinion, ninety-nine percent of the recorded self hypnosis CDs available at this time are based on Traditional Hypnosis, and consist of only one or maybe two sessions of it at that. Traditional Hypnosis is nothing more than a set of direct commands: "If you eat a brownie you'll barf." "You won't have cravings and urges," etc.. This technology has an exceptionally poor track record of success because the people in our generation have been trained to question everything. That's why you, your friends, and your kids usually do the opposite of what they are told to do. This is called a polarity response.

That being said, having sessions with any hypnotist / NLP'er who has enough experience to be able to actually help you can cost a great deal of money. There are some hypnotic programs available on the Internet based on Ericksonian Hypnosis and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) that have overcome those shortcomings. They've managed this by utilizing a mix of Ericksonian Hypnosis, NLP, Traditional Hypnosis, and the highly regarded Video Hypnosis technology.

These are all methods that are designed to do away with the resistance factor. In fact, Video Hypnosis and the NLP technology that it's based on do not utilize suggestion at all. These technologies rely on using the thought processes that have created a problem, to eliminate it!

Look for vendors who offer these technologies in multi-session products. These are programs that generally have six to eight different hypnosis or NLP sessions, so the subject is exposed to a broad range of technologies. It takes a lot of work to make this type of program, but the high success rates achieved are well worth the effort.

Stay away from the "one size fits all" -- "do-or-die" self hypnosis CDs and downloads. Many are attracted to these programs because they are inexpensive, usually under ten dollars. But is it cheap if it just wastes your valuable time and doesn't work?

If you order a program and it doesn't work, then you get guarded and start to expect the next approach to fail. And you get what you expect. Do you really think that the same exact commands will work for everyone? Do you think that they will work for you? Do you typically do exactly as you are told to do? Or do you usually feel a desire to do the opposite of what you are told to do?

Sunday, April 26, 2009

I. Anthroposohia "Anthroposophia, the emissary of this wisdom as revealed to the world by Rudolf Steiner....

Anthroposophia In The World

The challenge of our time is to manifest ever greater humanity in our thoughts and deeds. The head-centered knowledge of today has not been able to achieve this. What is needed is a wisdom of the heart. Only the heart is capable of uniting polarities and harmonizing discord. When the head is informed by the wisdom of the heart we will act on behalf of all humanity. This wisdom of the heart - the wisdom (Sophia) of mankind (anthropos) - is embodied inAnthroposophy. It is a spiritual force bearing the wisdom both appropriate and necessary for our time. It is a seed for the future. Anthroposophia, the emissary of this wisdom as revealed to the world by Rudolf Steiner, is indeed 'the image of our true humanity'."

▪ Elizabeth Sevison

Source: http://www.anthroposophia.org/home.html

II. Anthroposophy "Anthroposophy, a spiritual philosophy based on the teachings of Rudolf Steiner, postulates the existence of an objective, intellectually comprehensible spiritual world accessible to direct experience through inner development — more specifically through cultivating conscientiously a form of thinking independent of sensory experience.[1][2] In its investigations of the spiritual world, anthroposophy aims to attain the precision and clarity of natural science's investigations of the physical world.[1] Whether this is a sufficient basis for anthroposophy to be considered a spiritual science has been a matter of controversy.[3][4]

'Anthroposophy is a path of knowledge, to guide the spiritual in the human being to the spiritual in the universe.... Anthroposophists are those who experience, as an essential need of life, certain questions on the nature of the human being and the universe, just as one experiences hunger and thirst.[5]'

Anthroposophical ideas have been applied practically in areas including Steiner/Waldorf education, special education (most prominently the Camphill movement), biodynamic agriculture, anthroposophical medicine, and the arts.[6][3][1][7] The Anthroposophical Society has its international center at the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland."

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthroposophy

III. The Anthroposophical Society"The General Anthroposophical Society is an organization dedicated to supporting the community of those interested in the form of spiritual philosophy known as anthroposophy. The society was initiated during 1913 by members of the Theosophical Society in Germany, including Rudolf Steiner who was at the time General Secretary of the German section. The Society was re-founded as the General Anthroposophical Society in 1923/4 'to nurture the life of the soul, both in the individual and in human society, on the basis of a true knowledge of the spiritual world.'[1][2] It includes an esoteric school at its centre, the School of Spiritual Science. The Society's headquarters is in the Goetheanum, located in Dornach, Solothurn, Switzerland. The Society has national Societies in many countries, including every English-speaking country.[3] Its primary activities include organizing members' meetings and conferences, supporting research and providing communication channels for a variety of purposes. The Society also tries to encourage sustainable initiatives in the many practical fields in which its members are active.

The society has approximately 60,000 members as of 2008."

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthroposophical_Society

IV. Anthroposophy in the United States "The Anthroposophical Society was founded by Rudolf Steiner in Switzerland in 1923. It seeks to support individuals who are working on their own inner development and who wish to bring the fruit of that inner work to benefit the wider world. As a modern path of knowing, its doors are open to all who seek its approach and who wish to support its activities. Today, anthroposophical activity is alive in communities around the world."

Source: http://www.anthroposophy.org

V. Theosophy"Theosophy is a doctrine of religious philosophy and metaphysics originating with Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831-1891). In this context, theosophy holds that all religions are attempts by the 'Spiritual Hierarchy' to help humanity in evolving to greater perfection, and that each religion therefore has a portion of the truth. Together with Henry Steel Olcott, William Quan Judge, and others, Blavatsky founded the Theosophical Society in 1875."

Saturday, April 25, 2009

What Are Tarot Cards?Made up of no less than seventy-eight cards, each deck of Tarot cards are all the same. Tarot cards come in all sizes with all types of artwork on both the front and back - some even make their own Tarot cards. The meaning and the message of each one of those seventy-eight cards, however, always remains the same.

Tarot cards were first used by the Celtic people more than two thousand years ago. Many believe that Tarot cards serve only to tell the future, but this is not true. When used traditionally, Tarot cards speak of the past and present, and are supposed to give clues and ideas about the future that you are potentially heading into.

What's In the Cards?Tarot cards are made up of four suits - much like any regular deck of cards. In fact, Tarot cards have all the same values as traditional playing cards: ace through king for each suit. Only one extra card is added to the royal family in Tarot cards - the squire, his position is just under that of the knave (also known as the jack).

The suits are as follows: wands, which in general speak of esoteric issues such as spirituality or creativity; swords, which speak of conflicts and tensions; cups (or pentacles), which are always about money; and cups, which deal in relationship matters and love. The other twenty-two cards of the standard Tarot deck are called the Major Arcana cards, and are all very specific. Cards such as the Devil, the Tower, and Death are in the Major Arcana.

How Could a Tarot Card Reading Actually Help Me?When done traditionally, a Tarot card reading can put everything into perspective in a clear and understandable way. Every Tarot card reading is prefaced by a question, one that you do not have to reveal to your Tarot card reader but that you keep to yourself. Each card will come up in the past, present, or future position and will shed some light on the topic of your question.

Whether or not you believe in spiritual or esoteric things, or even in the art of telling the future, a Tarot card reading can help you better understand your own thoughts. You'll realize potentially dangerous patterns in your life, and get a better understanding of self. Even the question that you ask in your mind can help you understand something about yourself, and in this way a Tarot card reading can truly help you.

Can Anyone Read Tarot Cards, Or Do I Have To Call Someone or Go Online?Anyone can learn how to read Tarot cards. There are many books available, both in online and physical bookstores that will tell you the meaning and message of each and every card. Every card in Tarot has a card-specific meaning, and a message or warning. The good news is, there's no secret about what these cards mean to convey - so you, too, can learn how to read the Tarot.

Once you know the meaning of the cards (and it's not something you have to memorize; it's perfectly okay to keep notes by you when you try to give yourself a Tarot card reading), you can read the Tarot for yourself or for others. Any book you read about the Tarot will explain the spreads to use - the way to lay the cards out to understand their meaning and placement in the scheme of your question.

An Ancient MysteryTarot cards are more ancient than religion. Tarot cards are older than most languages and most writing, and yet they are still around and are still being used today the exact same way they were used thousands of years ago. If Tarot cards didn't help people, why would they still be used and still be so popular?

Author BioI have been studying Tarot for seven years and have incorporated it in my dailly meditation routine. My purpose for this article is to give others a free resource which can hopefully change their lives for the better.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Five Types of Affirmations for Empowerment

Five categories of affirmations support you in manifesting powerful change. These five categories or types of affirmations have emerged from my consulting work with clients and workshop participants. You may work with affirmations in every category concurrently, or you may focus on a different category each day or each week. It is important that affirmations you select resonate with you, that is, that they feel natural and appropriate. In order to experience this resonance, you may need to change words in the ones listed here as examples, or let these inspire you to create ones you prefer, or develop your own from scratch.

Popular Affirmations

Many popular affirmations are beautiful, indeed, they are quite extraordinary! However, if you do not believe them, they are useless or even counterproductive. If you say an affirmation you do not believe, saying it repeatedly will not make you believe it. Actually, the repetition can build up greater resistance to believing it. Consider this example: Sam feels powerless. He has had many experiences that he can point to that justify his feelings and his belief in his own powerlessness and unworthiness. Saying "I am powerful" is less likely to erase his feelings of powerlessness than to prompt an emphatic reaction, such as, "Oh, no, I'm not!" If Sam does not deal with the resistance, he carries it with him as he lives his life.

An empowering process emerges by using these five categories of affirmations in a systematic way to assist you in embracing an affirmation that you desire to believe but do not. If you have an intention and a desire to say and believe "I am powerful," start by releasing powerlessness, open to the possibility of being powerful, affirm an intention and readiness to live in your power, claim your power, and let the idea of powerfulness integrate into your life.

Following are the five categories of affirmations described briefly with a few examples of each type.

Releasing/Cleansing Affirmations

The purpose of Releasing and/or Cleansing Affirmations is to let go of unwanted and unneeded stuff. Especially, they help you let go of resistance. They allow you to purify your system. These affirmations stimulate the release of toxins such as negative thought forms, repressed or suppressed emotions, old memories, negative bonds with others, karma, dark consensus reality, illusions of all types.

Examples:

* I give myself permission to release toxicity from every level of my energy field.* I rescind outdated vows of poverty, celibacy, struggle, silence, and unworthiness.* I release resistance.* I let go of old programs that keep me stuck in old patterns.* I let go of everything I do not want or need for my highest good.

Receiving/Accepting Affirmations

The purpose of Receiving and/or Accepting Affirmations is to open to allow something to be. They allow us to receive goodness from the Universe. They neutralize the misqualification of energy; that is, they can reverse illness or other density. In addition, they help us shift the attention from disempowering actions such as, "getting" or "taking" to more freeing concepts such as, "receiving" and "allowing" and "accepting."

Examples:

* I open to the gifts of the Universe.* I allow abundance to flow through me.* I accept support when I need it.* Dear God, please let me know what to do in a way that I can understand.* I accept peace and joy in all aspects of my life.

Being/Intending Affirmations

The purpose of Being and/or Intending Affirmations is to ground your purpose, especially your higher purpose. These affirmations enhance conscious awareness of your intention about something or about your mission in life. In addition, these affirmations can deepen your understanding of your reason for being and/or acting generally or in a specific situation. They can be used to enhance any and all actions that follow.

Examples:

* I know that this is for the highest good of all concerned.* I deepen my awareness of the consciousness from which actions spring.* I live my mission.* My intention is to live free from struggle, fear, and hopelessness.* I remember.

Acting/Claiming Affirmations

The purpose of Acting and/or Claiming Affirmations is to bring something into manifestation or to direct the energy of your intention to appropriate manifestation. These affirmations bring into the physical experience those ideas that you hold in your mind and/or heart. In addition, these affirmations help you to claim your power and establish boundaries in relationships.

Examples:

* I act with high intention and purposeful awareness.* I step into the world to live my mission in every word and action.* I demand my good right now.* I make every act an act of love (or freedom or mastery or hope, etc.). I am powerful. I am worthy. I am loveable. I am free.

Integrating/Embodying Affirmations

The purpose of Integrating and/or Embodying Affirmations is to allow the energy and meaning of the affirmations to merge with your consciousness. Affirmations and ideas that do not resonate, drop away. Integrating/Embodying Affirmations support us in knowing more deeply -- integrating -- what we have learned rather than introducing new information.

Examples:

* I integrate trust into every aspect of my life.* I breathe love into my job, my body, my relationships.* Yes to Life!* Today is an opportunity for peace.* I breathe in abundance, letting my whole body feel its energy.

Affirmations as Lifestyle

As you work more and more with intentional affirmations -- written, spoken, read, chanted, meditated upon -- you will make them part of your lifestyle. Affirmations are already working for (or against!) you. It is your job to select the ones you want to live by. Remember, you are already using affirmations every time you think or speak! If your current affirmations are disempowering, you can intentionally change them to ones that you choose to live by.

About the Author:Jeanie Marshall has an M.S. in Organization Development. She facilitates private consultations by telephone throughout the world, appears as a guest on television and radio shows, and has produced guided meditations on audio cassette tapes, CD albums and MP3 files. She has been actively involved in the human potential movement for more than twenty years as a mentor, coach, facilitator, organizational development consultant, personal development consultant, and writer.

Plant Spirit Shamanism: Voodoo Shamanism

What do we really know about ‘voodoo’ in the West? Almost nothing. Not even the correct spelling. Even now my computer underlines Vodou (its correct name) in red to inform me of a typo.

But feel the phoney word ‘voodoo’ in your mouth. It could be the first word a baby might form. A fantastic word - so many O’s. For most of us in the English-speaking worlds it has a somehow sexy, implacable feel, but one that is also dark and dangerous. This comes courtesy of the Western Empire's "reality tunnel". History is, indeed, the propaganda of the victors. No wonder they were scared. Vodou inspired the only successful slave revolt in history, defeating first the superior firepower and numbers of the French, then the British a few years later. ‘Black magic’ could be the only rational (sic) explanation…

It’s easy to see how the Empire's belief in the power of the rational mind to civilize "primitive cultures" would lead it to demonise Vodou. Vodou recognises other dimensions much greater in scope than the narrow little world that, even now, our culture insists is the only true reality.

Vodou, born in slavery, was more generous in its attitudes towards other beliefs. It absorbed them, adding to its pantheon of Gods and rituals. A profoundly adaptive belief.

You can read this book in many ways: as a history of the Vodou religion and its influencing cultures; or perhaps you want to immerse yourself in the rich mythological landscapes that are opened up to Western readers for the first time. But the real meal offered here is to go on a journey into the essence of Vodou - for Ross’ book calmly reveals how we can make contact with and attune ourselves to these spiritual realities. By use of elegant rituals and the focused creation of altars, we can all make contact with the loa, the guides from these dimensions.

These techniques seem naturally alien to us. In Christianity, altars and direct communication with God(s) has been the prerogative of priests. In Vodou, direct contact is the way. Some of the details may seem crazy to us. But this is just a cultural difference; one of many that we need to jettison if we are to explore other cultures in any real depth, beyond the prism of our own culture’s matrix.

And this, for me, is the great benefit of immersing myself in the exotic waters of such a rich system - to step outside of my own indoctrination and try out some other possibilities concerning my perception of life. When we do this we enrich our lives, enabling us to get a different perspective on some of our more limiting beliefs.

The two areas in which I am particularly beholden to Vodou are those of the trance state and the use of altars. I love using altars to focus my intention on what I want to bring in to my life. A sacred, still space, amongst the hubbub of daily affairs. Altars of bones, sculptures, images, drums, crystals… arranged in a way that means something to me. Connecting me to my source.

For the last nine years, I have also taught a system of movement called The Five Rhythms™. It is a system by which people can safely enter and exit trance states, devised by a brilliant Californian called Gabrielle Roth, whose background included the healing arts, theatre, and dance. She studied different cultures, spiritual techniques for entering trance/meditative states – particularly Vodou – and devised her elegant system with urban Westerners in mind.

Trance is a place where I feel I can return to my source. It wipes the slate clean of all the bullshit I have accumulated. It eases the grip of my conditioning and allows me to step outside of the limiting beliefs that compose my personality. It is a powerful primal state of intuition, creativity, and healing.

I also believe that it is the state that so many of us have used drugs to get in touch with. We know there is something more real out there than the dream we live in, and our spirit is magnetically drawn to it. Until this natural drive is addressed and given other, healthier, pathways, drugs will remain the most popular shortcut.

The White Rabbit beckons at the entrance to the wormhole…

Vodou Shaman: The Haitian Way of Healing and Power, by Ross Heaven, is published by Destiny Books (November 10, 2003). ISBN-10: 089281134X.

About the Author:

Ross Heaven is a therapist, workshop leader, and the author of several books on shamanism and healing, including Darkness Visible, the best-selling Plant Spirit Shamanism, and Love’s Simple Truths. His website is http://www.thefourgates.com where you can also read how to join his sacred journeys to the shamans and healers of the Amazon.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Top Ten Myths About Tarot Cards and Tarot Reading

Predicting the future is not difficult we can all do it. If for example you know someone who is consistently spending more than they earn and paying for it by building up a credit card debt then it's not hard to predict where that one is heading. Or if you know someone who is expecting a baby you may, based on experience, accurately predict that they will have many months of sleep deprivation and tiredness ahead of them. The Tarot does little more than this. It has centuries of human experience distilled into a simple philosophy and meaning for each card. Another way to look at it is to say the Tarot doesn't make precise predictions of the future it merely allows us glimpses at some of the likely possibilities.

Myth 2 - "The Tarot come from Ancient Egypt"

The earliest that Tarot can be dated back to is 16th century Italy. There is no evidence of Tarot existing anywhere else in the world prior to this. Some people claim the cards derive from India or China but this is also baseless speculation.

Myth 3 - "Receiving the Death card means someone is about to die"

Unlikely. The whole point of the symbolism of the cards is that they represent deeper life truths. To take any of the cards literally would be to miss out on a layers of meaning and insight. In the case of the Death card, to the medieval mind Death represented an inevitable change and often a passing to a better place. The card represents change and evolution. One can't, however, rule out the possibility of this occasionally actually signifying a death.

Myth 4 - "Reading Tarot is dabbling in the occult"

There are many claims that the Tarot have Pagan, witchcraft or shamanic roots and some have even implicated the Tarot in devil worship and satanic rites. Another frequent claim is that the Tarot derives from ancient religions now forgotten. None of this is true. Tarot , as has already been said, originated in medieval Italy and the predominant cultural backdrop of that time was christian. The symbolism of the cards is either christian or jewish - new testament or old. The word 'occult' merely means 'hidden' so in that sense one could say taking a reading is dealing with the occult because one is trying to reveal what is hidden.

Myth 5 - "Reading your own cards will bring misfortune"

This is one which professional readers and those experienced with the cards know not to be true but which often gets repeated. It may have arisen from the fact that Tarot card readers will avoid reading their own cards. Not because it is unlucky but simply because it is not effective. A good Tarot reading requires three parties; the questioner, the reader and the deck. The reader tries to remain objective and reports to the questioner what the cards are saying without any bias or desire to hear a particular message. Playing this role for your own reading is difficult if not impossible.

Myth 6 - "You need to have some psychic ability to read the Tarot"

Most people can learn to read the Tarot to a lesser or greater extent. No psychic powers are necessary because all the wisdom is in the cards and the meanings which have been developed over the years. In fact if one was psychic why would you need to use the Tarot? Tarot works best when the reader drops their preconceptions and feelings about a problem and just lets the cards do the talking.

Myth 7 - "Nobody should ever handle your Tarot deck"

There are some practitioners that wont let anyone else touch their Tarot cards. Even when they carry out a reading they wont allow the questioner to shuffle the deck for themselves. In my experience this precious attitude comes from those who want to build up themselves and their deck to be something special. A control thing if you like. This is against the spirit of Tarot which promotes open enquiry and sharing of understanding. Allowing clients to shuffle the cards helps them to feel a part of the process and focus on the problem at hand.

Myth 8 "The Tarot can be used to cast spells or effect other people"

It is sometimes thought that the Tarot can be used to make things happen rather than predict them. To influence someone's life from afar, for good or evil. This is a long way from what the cards are actually about, which is simply gaining understanding. There is no reason to believe that the Tarot has any power other than that of insight. One of the frequent messages that comes out of Tarot readings is actually how little ability we sometimes have to influence our own lives let alone someone else's. Put in a nutshell the Tarot would probably say 'get your own act together before you try to change others'.

Myth 9 - "Different decks give different readings"

This is slightly subjective but in my experience, no. Whatever the deck the meanings derived over four centuries remain the same. Different people will however relate more warmly to some decks rather than others and the images that the client is most comfortable with will create the best atmosphere for a reading. A cynical person might suspect this myth is propagated by the deck manufacturers.

Myth 10 - "It is dangerous to have too many Tarot readings"

There is a belief that people who become obsessed with Tarot and keep taking one reading after another bring themselves bad luck or even risk pushing themselves over the edge. This maybe true in as much as seeking constant advice can be a sign of some sort of impending crisis. Such people may also have been close to the edge anyway. The main thing is that too much advice is bad for anyone and only leads to confusion.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

"You know when whites (mostly Europeans) start talking this way, after blacks have been insisting forever, jaws drop on the other side of the pond. That’s what happened when the Leakeys established that the first men walked out of Africa, not Europe (although some are now trying mightily to find out whether China is older). It must be that time: a black president, Jefferson acknowledged as the father of Sally Hemings’ children and now Cleopatra being acknowledged as having African ancestry…all these books are going to be rewritten.

Hilke Thuer of the Austrian Academy of Sciences studied the remains of Cleopatra’s sister, the royal Arsinoë IV, taken from her tomb in Ephesus, once a Greek colony in what is now Turkey. Arsinoë (pronounced “Ar-see-noi”) lost the power struggle between herself and the Queen when Marc Antony–by this time Cleopatra’s husband–had her whacked on the steps of the Temple of Artemis. Arsinoë was exiled there by Julius Caesar after being paraded through the streets of Rome in triumph behind his chariot..."

"Cleopatra VII - 'Cleopatra, Thea Philopator, Philadelphus, Thea Neotera, Regina Regum Filiorum Regum' - was the 16th ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty, reigning over Egypt from 51-30 BC, during the Ptolemaic period. She became co-regent with her 10-year-old brother Ptolemy XIII at the age of 17, and following his death (aged 14) in 47 BC during the civil war she then married her younger brother Ptolemy XIV, who was only 12 years old. This meant she effectively ruled alone..."

"Cleopatra VII, the great Cleopatra, the big nose of geopolitical power, is in Paris. It is a matter of justice, because what would be better for a woman like her? Specifically, she is buried in the gardens of the National Library of France, at its old headquarters of the Rue Vivienne, near the Louvre and the Palais Royal. That is what Juan Angel Torti, former Chilean journalist and possibly the most elegant retiree in Paris, has been sustaining for years. This former reporter for Agence France-Presse, whose headquarters is a stone’s throw from where the Egyptian queen supposedly lies, looks forward to the moment when archaeologists reach access to the end of the 120 meters long tunnel at the temple of Tabusiris Magna, 50 kilometers from Alexandria, where the sarcophagi of Cleopatra and Marco Antonio are allegedly located. That is expected to happen later this year, as announced by the Egyptian authorities. But Torti is certain they are in for a big disappointment: 'The tomb of Cleopatra is empty...'"

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Introduction to Jewish Mysticism and Kabbalah

When non-Jews ask about Judaism, they commonly ask questions like: What is the nature of God? Do you believe in heaven and hell? What happens to us after death? The answers to questions like these characterize most religions. While Jewish law (Talmud) focuses on what it is God wants from man, the area of Judaism and Jewish thought that discusses these issues falls under the realm of Jewish mysticism and the Kabbalah.

Kabbalah is the name applied to the whole range of Jewish mystical activity.

The word Kabbalah comes from the Hebrew root Qof-Beit-Lamed, which means "to receive, to accept." If you have spent any time studying or reading about the Kabbalah, you can not help but to notice that there are many alternative spellings of this word. The reason for this is that some letters in the Hebrew alphabet have more than one representation in the English alphabet. For example, the letter “Qof” can be written either as K or Q or even as a C. This has led some authors choose one spelling for the word Kabbalah while others select another. In the end, they are all talking about the rich mystical tradition that has been a part of Judaism since its earliest days[.]

According to its supporters, intimate understanding and mastery of the Kabbalah brings man spiritually closer to God and as a result man can gain insight into the inner-workings of God’s creation. Since it deals with universal principles, i t works to explain not only the way our inner and outer worlds are constructed, but why. It teaches a method which allows the spiritual seeker to live in accord with the guiding force behind the whole of reality.

The History of Kabbalah

While it is not clear exactly where the mystical traditions of the Kabbalah originated, some texts claim this mystical system originated with Moses on Mount Sinai while others say it was provided by the angels to Adam as a means of returning to grace after the fall of man. According to Kabbalistic tradition, the concealed dimension of the Torah – the Kabbalah - was transmitted orally by the Jewish patriarchs, prophets, and sages of ancient times. However, after prophecy ceased and the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, a new era dawned for Kabbalah. Teaching of the Kabbalah began to emerge and around the second century A.D. Since that time and even today it is used by many as a guide for exploring our inner truths.

The most famous work of Kabbalah, the Zohar, was revealed to the Jewish world in the thirteenth century by Moses De Leon. The Zohar was in the form of a commentary or interpretation on the five books of the Torah (the first 5 books of the Old Testament). Whereas most commentaries interpret the Torah as a storyline and legal work, mystics, such as Moses De Leon, tend to interpret it as a system of symbols which reveals the secret laws of the universe.

Scholars have identified the study of the Kabbalah as being the Yoga of the West. Its foundation, beliefs and tenets echo those of the yogic system including the chakras. It has been theorized that the ideas and methodology used in the chakra system represent abstract ideals that are to be achieved. The Kabbalistic system, on the other hand expresses itself through the use of specific notions and concrete symbols, which bring unconscious thoughts, ideas and behaviors into our conscious awareness.

Prohibitions Surrounding the Study of Kabbalah

Over the years, prohibitions arouse around the study of Kabbalah. The rabbis of the Talmud regarded the mystical study of God as being important yet warned that it could be dangerous. There’s a famous story in the Talmud where four great sages entered a garden. They went into an ecstatic state, a state of mystical and spiritual ecstasy, and three of them did not survive. One came out insane, one died and one renounced his faith. It was only Rabbi Akiva who entered in peace, and exited in peace.

It was this episode, later experiences of individuals who became mentally unbalanced while engaging in mystical activities and the disaster of the false Messiah Shabbetai Zevi that caused seventeenth-century rabbis to legislate that kabbalah should be studied only by married men over forty who were also scholars of Torah and Talmud. In recent times, the prohibitions regarding the study of Kabbalah, even in Orthodox communities have been relaxed.

Types of Kabbalistic Practices

There are two types of Kabbalah: contemplative and practical.

Practical Kabbalah seeks to alter the nature of existence and change the course of events via ritualistic techniques. It can be seen as a kind of white magic, dealing with the use of techniques that could evoke supernatural powers. Its goal is to bring about practical changes, through the intervention of God. Examples can be found in the Bible with stories such as Moses drawing forth water from the rock, or of Aaron's staff being turned into a snake. It utilizes the utterance of divine names and incantations, amulets and talismans, as well as chiromancy, physiognomy and astrology. In recent times, this is form of Kabbalah is often practiced by non-Judaic Magical or practitioners ofHermetic Kabbalah.

The other form of Kabbalah, Contemplative Kabbalah, seeks to explain the nature of God and the nature of our existence via intellectual and meditative techniques.

This form of Kabbalah is what is often found when reading most written works on Kabbalah. Much of this branch grew out of the study of the Holy Scriptures. Various techniques for revealing the underlying meaning of the Holy texts include: Gematria, Notariqon and Temurah, which explore into the relationships and hidden meaning of numbers, letters and phrases of words. In turn, theories of how the universe was created and the essential nature of God and man, are explore and summarized through the symbol or glyph we know as the Tree of Life.

To a Kabbalist, the representation of the Tree of Life is often seen as visual road map which we can follow as we venture into the realm of the unconscious and the unknown. It is made up of 10 spheres or sephirah that symbolize the emanations or qualities of God. According to Kabbalistic tradition, the Ten Sefirot correspond to ten levels of creation or the ten different ways God reveals himself to us.

They can also be thought of as objective energy centers and discrete states of consciousness that are available to us or as a description of the unfolding energetic transition from God to Man. They constitute the inner structure of reality and account for the dynamic relationships that take place both physically and spiritually where they provide us with a model of personal growth and development. This is because hidden within each sephirot is a concealed motivational force that corresponds to distinct psycho-spiritual states of the human soul.

There is so much more that can be discussed when talking about the Kabbalah, but this should get you started along this exciting path of self-discovery.

The Kabbalah gives us tools that enable us to explore all aspects of our inner and outer selves and help us to know ourselves better and understand our relationship with the world around us. It can also be used as a tool to open ourselves up spiritually and become better acquainted with God. Regardless of how you choose to utilize the wisdom the Kabbalah, find gratitude in all your work and learning’s and be open to receiving its blessings.

Monday, April 13, 2009

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo, on Being the Elder Statesman

When the distinguished Egyptian museum in Cairo first opened its doors in 1902 it was designed to display around 35,000 objects. The air circulation was thought to be adequate for the 500 estimated daily visitors and natural lighting sufficient to illuminate the exhibited objects.

Little has changed over the last century, as far as the museum’s facilities are concerned, although its contents have exploded into a staggering 200,000 or so objects. This figure may or may not, include treasures in the basement which some say is worthy of excavation itself!

Many of the objects acquired over the years are the result of continuous excavations, which have taken place throughout Egypt since the opening of the museum and with the increase in visitors to around six to seven thousand per day, floor space in the building has itself, become a treasured commodity.

To accommodate these increases, Cairo is to have a Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), described in a government brochure as “a vision, a single source; faint yet filled with the strength to glow with the power of a thousand suns.” It is a majestic work in progress and will stand on the Giza Plateau in the shadow of one of the seven wonders of the ancient world – Khufu’s great pyramid. Superlatives aside, this 480,000 square meter site will house one hundred thousand of Egypt’s most unique ancient treasures, fifty thousand of which have already been chosen, many from the present Egyptian museum.

The transportation of one hundred thousand irreplaceable ancient objects from one museum to the other is positively ‘mind boggling’ and must surely pose a logistical nightmare for the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA). The removal into storage of just one item in 2006, the eighty three ton, 3,200 year old statue of Rameses II, from the front of Cairo’s main railway station, took nine snail-paced hours to transit the city, during the dead of night, using military-style procedures which cost around $1 million. The pink granite statue of Ramesses, in the meantime, remains protected, until he takes up his new commanding position in the Atrium of the Grand New Museum (GEM). Other items destined for display at GEM, will be inspected, documented and issued with a health card. If they require restoration treatment this will be carried out in one of Gem’s new underground conservation laboratories, after which they will be stored.

A “vital link towards averting disaster” during the ‘big move’ has been the introduction of a new database, currently in progress. The idea of a digitized database was first proposed by Gary Scott of the American Research Center in Egypt and Dr. Janice Kamrin, Egyptological Consultant to the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Cairo. The plan was approved by Dr. Zahi Hawass, the SCA’s head, along with museum curators, and funded by ARCE/USAID and put into action at the museum a couple of years ago by Dr. Kamrin.

Before the database, there was no standardized approach to registration. Any museum-based research was carried out via the ‘Object Register Books’ or reference library. The handwritten register books, are, themselves historical catalogues containing information, such as the description of an object, where it was found and by whom. Some of the earliest entries date back to 1858 (around 7,000) with the very first entry marked as JE1, a small standing statue of the goddess Isis with hands by her side and throne on her head - found at Saqqara.

According to Egyptologist Elina Nuutinen from the Registrars and Collections Department, the books have now been photographed, which means the copies can be handled for transcription purposes, rather than the extremely fragile originals.

Apart from the small team of Egyptologists and registrars involved in the Database Project, there is also the Volunteer Project, overseen by Elina Nuutinen. Volunteers from all over the world, including Egyptologists, students and egyptophiles whose work is connected to the subject, are attracted to the musty corridors of the Egyptian museum. It is hugely rewarding for those who are committed, although the fainthearted should not apply!

According to Dr. Kamrin 134,000 transcriptions had already been transferred to the database by May of this year, just over half-way! The project has received two more years of funding from the Andrew W. Mellor Foundation and has just taken on two more Egyptologists to help with the registering of artifacts. Once collected, the information in the database will form the basis for a new standardized Collections Management System which, says Dr. Kamrin “will bring this pre-eminent institution into the new century.”

The Grand Egyptian Museum “ is a decades-old dream’ linking ancient and modern Cairo,” but let’s not forget the grandeur of the present Egyptian Museum in Cairo, it is not retiring yet It will still stand in Midan el Tahirir looking just a little more like the dignified elder statesman.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Aporrheta, Greek απορῥητα—The instructions given by the hierophant or interpreter in the Eleusinian Mysteries, not to be disclosed on pain of death. There was said to be a synopsis of them in the petroma or two stone tablets, which, it is said, were bound together in the form of a book.

Apostatise—To fall or descend, as the spiritual part of the soul is said to descend from its divine home to the world of nature.

Cathartic—Purifying. The term was used by the Platonists and others in connection with the ceremonies of purification before initiation, also to the corresponding performance of rites and duties which renewed the moral life. The cathartic virtues were the duties and mode of living, which conduced to that end. The phrase is used but once or twice in this edition.

Cause—The agent by which things are generated or produced.

Circulation—The peculiar spiral motion or progress by which the spiritual nature or “intellect” descended from the divine region of the universe into the world of sense.

Cogitative—Relating to the understanding: dianoetic.

Conjecture, or Opinion—A mental conception that can be changed by argument.

Coré—A name of Ceres or Demeter, applied by the Orphic and later writers to her daughter Persephoné or Proserpina. She was supposed to typify the spiritual nature which was abducted by Hades or Pluto into the Underworld, the figure signifying the apostasy or descent of the soul from the higher life to the material body.

Corically—After the manner of Proserpina, i. e., as if descending into death from the supernal world.

Dæmon—A designation of a certain class of divinities. Different authors employ the term differently. Hesiod regards them as the souls of the men who lived in the Golden Age, now acting as guardian or tutelary spirits. Socrates, in the Cratylus, says “that dæmon is a term denoting wisdom, and that every good man is dæmonian, both while living and when dead, and is rightly called a dæmon.” His own attendant spirit that checked him whenever he endeavored to do what he might not, was styled his Dæmon. Iamblichus places Dæmons in the second order of spiritual existence.—Cleanthes, in his celebrated Hymn, styles Zeus δαιμον (daimon).

Demiurgus—The creator. It was the title of the; chief-magistrate in several Grecian States, and in this work is applied to Zeus or Jupiter, or the Ruler of the Universe. The latter Platonists, and more especially the Gnostics, who regarded matter as constituting or containing the principle of Evil, sometimes applied this term to the Evil Potency, who, some of them affirmed, was the Hebrew God.

Distributed—Reduced from a whole to parts and scattered. The spiritual nature or intellect in its higher estate was regarded as a whole, but in descending to worldly conditions became divided into parts or perhaps characteristics.

Divisible—Made into parts or attributes, as the mind, intellect, or spiritual, first a whole, became thus distinguished in its descent. This division was regarded as a fall into a lower plane of life.

Energise, Greek ενεργεω—To operate or work, especially to undergo discipline of the heart and character.

Energy—Operation, activity.

Eternal—Existing through all past time, and still continuing.

Faith—The correct conception of a thing as it seems,—fidelity.

Freedom—The ruling power of one’s life; a power over what pertains to one’s self in life.

Friendship—Union of sentiment; a communion in doing well.

Fury—The peculiar mania, ardor, or enthusiasm which inspired and actuated prophets, poets, interpreters of oracles, and others; also a title of the goddesses Demeter and Persephone as the chastisers of the wicked,—also of the Eumenides.

Generation, Greek γενεσις—Generated existence, the mode of life peculiar to this world, but which is equivalent to death, so far as the pure intellect or spiritual nature is concerned; the process by which the soul is separated from the higher form of existence, and brought into the conditions of life upon the earth. It was regarded as a punishment, and according to Mr. Taylor, was prefigured by the abduction of Proserpina. The soul is supposed to have pre-existed with God as a pure intellect like him, but not actually identical—at one but not absolutely the same.

Good—That which is desired on its own account.

Hades—A name of Pluto; the Underworld, the state or region of departed souls, as understood by classic writers; the physical nature, the corporeal existence, the condition of the soul while in the bodily life.

Herald, Greek κηρυξ—The crier at the Mysteries.

Hierophant—The interpreter who explained the purport of the mystic doctrines and dramas to the candidates.

Holiness, Greek ὁσιοτης—Attention to the honor due to God.

Idea—A principle in all minds underlying our cognitions of the sensible world.

Imprudent—Without foresight; deprived of sagacity.

Infernal regions—Hades, the Underworld.

Instruction—A power to cure the soul.

Intellect, Greek νους—Also rendered pure reason, and by Professor Cocker, intuitive reason, and the rational soul; the spiritual nature. “The organ of self-evident, necessary, and universal truth. In an immediate, direct, and intuitive manner, it takes hold on truth with absolute certainty. The reason, through the medium of ideas, holds communion with the world of real Being. These ideas are the light which reveals the world of unseen realities, as the sun reveals the world of sensible forms. ‘The Idea of the good is the Sun of the Intelligible World; it sheds on objects the light of truth, and gives to the soul that knows the power of knowing.’ Under this light the eye of reason apprehends the eternal world of being as truly, yet more truly, than the eye of sense apprehends the world of phenomena. This power the rational soul possesses by virtue of its having a nature kindred, or even homogeneous with the Divinity. It was ‘generated by the Divine Father,’ and like him, it is in a certain sense ‘eternal.’ Not that we are to understand Plato as teaching that the rational soul had an independent and underived existence; it was created or ‘generated’ in eternity, and even now, in its incorporate state, is not amenable to the condition of time and space, but, in a peculiar sense, dwells in eternity: and therefore is capable of beholding eternal realities, and coming into communion with absolute beauty, and goodness, and truth—that is, with God, the Absolute Being.”—Christianity and Greek Philosophy, x. pp. 349, 350.

Intellective—Intuitive; perceivable by spiritual insight.

Intelligible—Relating to the higher reason.

Interpreter—The hierophant or sacerdotal teacher who, on the last day of the Eleusinia, explained the petroma or stone book to the candidates, and unfolded the final meaning of the representations and symbols. In the Phoenician language he was called פתר, peter. Hence the petroma, consisting of two tablets of stone, was a pun on the designation, to imply the wisdom to be unfolded. It has been suggested by the Rev, Mr. Hyslop, that the Pope derived his claim, as the successor of Peter, from his succession to the rank and function of the Hierophant of the Mysteries, and not from the celebrated Apostle, who probably was never in Rome.

Just—Productive of Justice.

Justice—The harmony or perfect proportional action of all the powers of the soul, and comprising equity, veracity, fidelity, usefulness, benevolence, and purity of mind, or holiness.

Knowledge—A comprehension by the mind of fact not to be overthrown or modified by argument.

Legislative—Regulating.

Lesser Mysteries—The τελεται, teletai, or ceremonies of purification, which were celebrated at Agræ, prior to full initiation at Eleusis. Those initiated on this occasion were styled μυσται, mystæ, from μυω, muo, to vail; and their initiation was called μυησις, muesis, or vailing, as expressive of being vailed from the former life.

Magic—Persian mag, Sanscrit maha, great. Relating to the order of the Magi of Persia and Assyria.

Material dæmons—Spirits of a nature so gross as to be able to assume visible bodies like individuals still living on the Earth.

Matter—The elements of the world, and especially of the human body, in which the idea of evil is contained and the soul incarcerated. Greek ὑλη, Hulé or Hylé.

Muesis, Greek μυησις, from μυω, to vail—The last act in the Lesser Mysteries, or τελεται, teletai, denoting the separating of the initiate from the former exotic life.

Mysteries—Sacred dramas performed at stated periods. The most celebrated were those of Isis, Sabazius, Cybelè, and Eleusis.

Mystic—Relating to the Mysteries: a person initiated in the Lesser Mysteries—Greek μυσται.

Occult—Arcane; hidden; pertaining to the mystical sense.

Orgies, Greek οργιαι—The peculiar rites of the Bacchic Mysteries.

Opinion—A hypothesis or conjecture.

Partial—Divided, in parts, and not a whole.

Philologist—One pursuing literature.

Philosopher—One skilled in philosophy; one disciplined in a right life.

Philosophise—To investigate final causes; to undergo discipline of the life.

Philosophy—The aspiration of the soul after wisdom and truth, “Plato asserted philosophy to be the science of unconditioned being, and asserted that this was known to the soul by its intuitive reason (intellect or spiritual instinct) which is the organ of all philosophic insight. The reason perceives substance; the understanding, only phenomena. Being (το ον), which is the reality in all actuality, is in the ideas or thoughts of God; and nothing exists (or appears outwardly), except by the force of this indwelling idea. The word is the true expression of the nature of every object: for each has its divine and natural name, besides its accidental human appellation. Philosophy is the recollection of what the soul has seen of things and their names.” (J. Freeman Clarke.)

Plotinus—A philosopher who lived in the Third Century, and revived the doctrines of Plato.

Prudent—Having foresight.

Purgation, purification—The introduction into the Teletæ or Lesser Mysteries; a separation of the external principles from the soul.

Titans—The beings who made war against Kronos or Saturn. E. Pococke identifies them with the Daityas of India, who resisted the Brahmans. In the Orphic legend, they are described as slaying the child Bacchus-Zagreus.

Titanic—Relating to the nature of Titans.

Transmigration—The passage of the soul from one condition of being to another. This has not any necessary reference to any rehabilitation in a corporeal nature, or body of flesh and blood. See I Corinthians, XV.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Astrology: History of AstrologyImpacts of Astrology

Astrology is a type of divination based upon the idea that information about the future or about a person’s personality can be discovered through the examination of heavenly bodies such as stars, planets, the moon, comets etc.

Astrology means the study that assumes and attempts to interpret the influence of heavenly bodies on human affairs. American Heritage Dictionary defines Astrology as the study of the positions and aspects of celestial bodies in the belief that they have an influence on the course of natural earthly occurrences and human affairs. The practice of astrology was prevalent in the ancient times too.

Some of the well-known civilizations of the world used this field extensively. For example, the ancient Chinese civilization, the Egyptian civilization, the ancient Indian civilization, etc all practiced astrology at some point or the other. Arabs too practiced Astrology before the advent of Islam.

The ancient Babylonians were probably the first to use Astrology. After that this science moved to countries like China and India. Greek astronomer Ptolemy was the first ever person to write a book on Astrology. He codified the sun sign astrology that we know today. Ptolemy tried to predict the positions of celestial bodies relative to each other and the earth through knowledge of their orbital motions.

During his time, astrology was a part of astronomy. Later, astronomy became an exact science and Astrology remained a part of Theology. Planetary observation is the basis of Astrology.

History of Astrology is an important part of civilization and goes back to the early days of the human race. Apart from being centers of learning in medicine, Baghdad and Damascus were also known as centers of astrology and astronomy. Arabs were pioneers in astronomy before the advent of Islam. The Babylonians were the first to name the days of the week after the Sun, Moon, and planets.

They were also the first to set out the twelve houses of the horoscope. Egypt was one of the most important places in the development of astrology. It is thought that some of the astrological signs of the zodiac originated in Egypt.

Astrology was practiced even in the Vedic times in India. Astrology is one of the six disciplines of vedanga. The Hindus believe that human fortune or misfortune in life is due to karma, and karma is believed to be influenced by the movements of the planets. Among the Hindus, Brahmins are considered to be the best authorities on astrology. In Modern India too, astrology is extensively used to determine the future and improve life. Astrology is studied and practiced by many in India.

It is regarded as vital in Indian culture. It is used to make decisions about marriage, starting of new business, and moving into a new house etc. Ancient Hindu Scriptures too gives a lot of importance to the various aspects of planetary motions and its effects on humans. Chinese astrology stresses on the five elements, metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Even the zodiac signs used by them are also different from other forms of astrology. China was isolated from the western for a long time.

That is why Chinese astrology was unknown to the western world. As Chinese astrology developed independently, a lot of difference can be seen between the western concepts of astrology and the Chinese version.

But the Chinese and Indian astrologers were in touch every now and then. Therefore, these two schools have a few things in common. In spite of the geographical isolation, there are a few surprising similarities between the western and the Chinese thoughts on astrology.

It can only be termed as a coincidence. Even though the science of astrology was started and developed in the east, the west was never without its share of astrology. Recently, the trend of reading the daily horoscopes have caught up the western world. Suddenly, the western world has woken up to the possibility of knowing and improving their future with the use of astrology.

More and more westerners have started to believe in the possibility of getting affected by the powerful planets and stars. Western scholars have included the subject of astrology in their research. Astrology was never scrutinized and researched ever before the way it has been done over the last few years. The astrologers in India claim that it is a scientific method to predict the future.

They still club this field of study within the parameters of Hinduism. They say they can prove that astrological predictions are indeed scientific. Hindus almost unanimously believe in astrological predictions. In fact, religious Hindus cannot imagine life without Astrology.

More and more Indians have started to build their houses according to the principles of Vastu Shashtra. This ancient Indian tradition is also governed by astrological implications. Hindus believe that the overall prosperity and benefits of the occupants is dependant on the Vastu principles while building the house.

Feng shui is one of the ancient Chinese practice of placement and arrangement of space to achieve harmony with the environment. It is also an off shoot of Chinese Astrology. This again is said to be scientific in nature.

Friday, April 10, 2009

[Original Title: The Short Form of the Book of Am-Tuat and the Book of Gates]

THE TWELFTH HOUR

The majesty of this great god taketh up his position in this Circle at the limits of the thick darkness, and this great god is born under the form of KHEPERA in this Circle. The gods NU and AMMUI, and HEH and HEH[UT] are in this Circle at the birth of this great god, when he maketh his appearance from the Tuat, and taketh up his place in the Matet Boat, and riseth from between the thighs of the goddess Nut.

THENEN-NETERU is the name of the gate of this City.

KHEPER-KEKUI-KHA-MESTI is the name of this City. [This is] the secret Circle of the Tuat, wherein this great god is born, when he maketh his appearance in NU, and taketh up his place in the body of NUT.

Whosoever shall make [a copy] of these [representations] according to the figures which are depicted on the east [wall] of the palace of Ament of the Tuat, they shall be magical protectors to him that knoweth them upon earth, both in heaven and on earth.

At this point the light beginneth [to come], and it is the end of the thick darkness which Ra travelleth through in Amentet, and of the secret matters which this great god performed therein. He who hath no knowledge of the whole (?) or part (?) of the secret representations of the Tuat, shall be condemned to destruction.

Whosoever shall make [a copy] of these [representations] according to this copy of what is in the Ament of the Tuat, [which] cannot be looked at or seen, and whosoever shall know these secret images shall be in the condition of the spirit who is equipped [for journeying], and shall come forth [from] and shall descend into the Tuat, and shall hold converse with the men and women who live [there] regularly and unfailingly, millions of times.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Lycium Barbarum; A Miracle Plant

Lycium barbarum grows to about 2 to 4 meters in the form of a bush. It grows at an almost slow pace. You can find flowers on this bush from June to August and the development period of the seeds are from August to October. Flowers of lycium barbarum are hermaphrodite by nature which means that flowers contains both the male and female reproductive parts and is generally pollinated by bees.

Its requirements include light, medium or heavy soils which should be well-drained. What is more, it could grow well in even poor soil. As for nature, it could grow well in acidic, basic as well as neutral soil. You can either grow it in sun or in semi shade but the soil should be moist. It is very drought resistant and can withstand extremes of temperature. Just like Noni, Hoodia and Mangosteen, Lycium barbarum are now being sold as another big thing in the health food world. The best thing about it is that with all its wonderful properties, it is actually delicious to eat.

Chinese medicines have utilized lycium barbarum for centuries. It is thought to build immune system, improve vision and protect liver and kidneys. They describe wolfberries as something which tastes sweet and is neutral in nature. These work on the lungs, liver and kidneys. These could be eaten raw or could be taken as juice or wine. One could also brew it as tea or as tincture.

As for its nutritional components, lycium barbarum is very rich in carbohydrates, proteins, fat and fiber. On a percentage basis, dried wolfberries contain about 68% of carbohydrate, protein is 12% and fiber and fat 10% each. So, 100 gm of wolfberries gives you 370 kilocalories (270 from carbohydrates and 90 from fat). As for vitamins, they are very rich in Vitamins A, B1, B6, C and E.

The building blocks of proteins, amino acids are also found in wolfberries. All in all, it contains 19 amino acids containing 8 essential amino acids. As for trace minerals, it has about 21 types of trace minerals including iron, zinc, copper, selenium, germanium, calcium and phosphorus. Carrots are the best source of beta carotene. It has more beta carotene than carrots. Essential fatty acids help produce hormones and also helps in brain and nervous system functioning. Well, yes, lycium barbarum do have essential fats. They are the best sources of carotenoids, Z Beta Sitosterol, Zeaxanthin, Lutine, Betaine, Cyperone, Solavetivone, Physalin, etc.

But one thing must be understood. All these depend a lot on the extent to which the berries were ripened during picking, the soil in which they grew and also the region where they grew. Also, how it was handled after harvest, how was it stored and for how long, water content and also testing affect the nutritional content of lycium barbarum.

Various researches have been done and bulk of them in China that studies the effect of lycium barbarum in treating medical problems. Most of them have revealed that it contains antioxidants that help it to treat cardiovascular and other inflammatory diseases. That is why it is used to treat vision problems. Lycium barbarum has neuroprotective, anti-carcinogenic and immunomodulatory properties. It is true that these are not approved by regulatory authorities yet the researches are the steps in the right direction.

Decoction tasting sweet is prepared with lycium barbarum which helps lower blood pressure, blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels. It is also being used to treat vertigo, male sexual dysfunction, lumbago and problems related to menopause. The root bark is generally bitter but has cooling and anti-bacterial properties and could be used to treat coughs, fever, blood pressure and cholesterol. It could be taken internally to treat internal hemorrhages, chronic fevers, tuberculosis, nosebleeds, asthma and coughs and other related problems.

For genital itching, it could be applied externally. Harvesting season for bark is in the winters and is then dried to be used later. All the fruits of this genus are very rich sources of vitamins and minerals including Vitamin A, B, C and E, flavones and several other bio-active ingredients. Fruits generally dont contain essential fatty acids but lycium barbarum is an exception in this case.

Researches are on to check if it is really an anti-carcinogenic compound which could inhibit or even reverse cancerous growth. The intake of lycium barbarum is shown to increase plasma Zeaxanthin. Research has been on at the laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, under the department of Anatomy, Hong Kong University. They are studying the anti-aging properties of lycium barbarum on humans.

It is a well known fact that old age is a disease in itself for many. A number of new diseases crop up with old age. Studies are on that show the effectiveness of lycium barbarum on anti-aging which could also combat Alzheimer's disease.